Kelechi's Truth

Tell me about yourself.

Kelechi: My name is Kelechi and I am Nigerian-American. I am a public health major with aspirations to become a physicians assistant in dermatology. I am passionate about Youtube. My friend J'nae and I run a Youtube channel called 50 Shades of Chocolate which gives people a glimpse into how products look on a different range of skin tones. 

What are your beauty struggles? 

Kelechi: It’s hard to find makeup in my shade. It’s also really hard to find products that work for 4c kinky hair. In general, there are very few products that cater to black women. There needs to be a wider variety. I have always had skin issues like acne and scarring and it took forever to find products that worked. I also struggled with trying to live up to the ideal body image. I used to workout SO much for the wrong reasons. One comment that bothered me growing up was “you’re pretty for a dark skin girl”. It made me think being black wasn’t beautiful, but as I have gotten older. I have embraced my unique traits and found products that work for me. 

What does beauty mean to you? 

Kelechi: Beauty means confidence. Beauty is feeling like you are important and that no one can tell you anything that will damage the way you view yourself. When you are self-aware, you are beautiful.

What was your first experience with beauty? 

Kelechi: Barbie dolls! I’m not sure if they didn’t have dark skinned barbies at the time, but I always played with white barbies and I saw those barbies as beautiful. Growing up in school, you start to understand what people deem beautiful. Kids at my school only had crushes on white girls and no one liked black girls. The lighter girls got all the attention. 

What is your self-care routine? 

Kelechi: Working out is a form of self-care for me especially taking hikes. When I’m stressed out or have a lot on my mind, I go to the gym and release all the tension. I also love making and enjoying homemade body scrubs, face masks, bath salts and doing my makeup. Also, when I’m eating right, I feel good. I love listening to music to de-stress. My favorite song right now is Let It Burn by Jazmine Sullivan.

Keep up with Kelechi on her journey:

Youtube Channel: 50 Shades of Chocolate

Instagram: @50shadesofchoc_

Personal Instagram: @Kelechiloves